Nassau County Legislature unanimously passes bill for dangerous dogs
The Nassau County Legislature unanimously approved legislation on Monday to prevent dangerous dogs from harming their neighbors.
The bill, called “Benny’s Law,” mandates that owners of judicially determined “dangerous dogs” in the county must give notice to their neighbors that they own a dog with this status. The legislation now heads to Nassau County Executive Laura Curran for signature.
John Ferretti Jr., the District 15 legislator who introduced the bill, said he is hopeful Curran will sign the bill into law.
“If we avoid one animal being attacked, one child being attacked, then we absolutely need to do it and I would be shocked if the county executive disagreed with me,” he said.
In 2019, Ferretti’s and his son witnessed their dog Benny being attacked by another dog. Ferretti said Benny was “lifeless” after the attack and had to undergo multiple expensive surgeries after his injury. He was worried when the other dog was returned to his owner and no one in the neighborhood knew about the attack.
Though he could not change the state law as a legislator, Ferretti drafted a bill with animal rights activist groups in the county to prevent future attacks. He is hopeful it will allow people to take the proper precautions around dogs that have been deemed dangerous.
The process of enforcement
Benny’s Law ensures owners inform neighbors that they own a dangerous dog. Once a judge declares a dog dangerous, the owner must mail the judicial order to all neighbors that live in a 1,000 foot radius of the house. Owners must also include the address of the dog and information about how to identify it.
In addition, the Nassau County Police Department and the Nassau County SPCA will co-manage a public database of judicially determined dangerous dogs. A dog’s entry in the registry will include the address of the dog, its identifying characteristics, the date the incident happened and the duration of the dog’s dangerous designation.
If a dog owner does not comply with the law, they will face a $500 fine after 10 days of ignoring the law and an additional $100 fine for every day after the tenth day.
“The registry is going to help people make sure they follow what the judge’s orders were,” said Gary Rogers, the Nassau County SPCA Board President. “The dogs can live their happy life under the orders of the judge.”
Registries like this are already in place in other areas of the country, including in Virginia and Westchester County, New York. Other registries do not require a mailing notice, according to Ferretti.
Why dogs attack
The American Veterinary Medical Association says when dogs bite, it is usually a reaction to something, even if the owner has not seen aggressive episodes like this before.
“We really don’t know what the real mechanism is that makes one of these dogs go off,” Rogers said when explaining dogs that attack for an unprovoked reason.
“Every dog has its own personality just like people do,” said Rogers. Owners need to pay attention to the situation that caused the dog to bite, according to Rogers. He offered a few scenarios, including a human taking away a toy and the dog biting by accident or a dog biting because it was being teased.
Ferretti encouraged people to not keep dog attacks to themselves. Nassau County residents should call 911 and file a police report in order to activate the law once it is signed. Rogers also encouraged people to notify the SPCA if they see any sort of animal crime, including dog attacks.
Reactions across Long Island
Benny’s Law has drawn praise and criticism from residents of both Nassau and Suffolk counties.
“Judges preside over court proceedings and do not practice veterinary medicine,” said Kailen Williams, a dog trainer and owner. “This needs to be decided by veterinary practitioners and certified applied animal behaviorists, not someone who sits on a bench.”
Under New York State law, “dangerous dogs’’ are dogs that either attack a human or animal or pose a serious threat of injury or death to others. The designation of “dangerous” is up to the judge and requires a high threshold. Benny’s Law does not affect existing New York State law and comes into effect after judicial proceedings are finished.
Other residents feel more positive about the legislation’s provisions.
“You should absolutely have the right to know if you live by or around a dangerous dog so that you can take extra precaution,” said another local dog owner, Leanne Vazac. “You can use that information to better plan safer walking routes with your dog and children.”
Other areas may follow suit, as Ferretti said he has received emails from people on Long Island and across the country in support of Benny’s Law.
“We’re a tight knit community,” he said. “We live close to one another and it’s so important that when something like this happens people are aware.”
